Our client specialises within the field of management consulting and provide senior level executive search services to some of the world’s leading financial institutions. They are currently looking for a talented and entrepreneurial research associate/analyst to join their prestigious Financial Services practice. The ideal candidate will have at least 3 months – 2 years’ work or internship experience in Executive Search or equivalent experience in a corporate FTSE 100/250 Financial Services organisation. Because of the intellectual demands of the role a potential candidate must possess a 1st or 2.1 degree in any discipline from a leading university. Please do not apply if you do not possess the above criteria.

Management consulting offers you variety in your work, a high level of responsibility, and can be exhilarating when working on sensitive and complex challenges for the world's top companies. While rewarding personally and financial, it can also be tough, so it’s important to understand the challenges and expectations of the industry before you embark on a career in management consulting.

​The role and its functions

Management consultants are hired by the world’s leading organisations to analyse their most critical business issues and propose solutions. Focusing on executive search, you will address clients human capital, people, and leadership challenges:

As an executive search management consultant you will have to opportunity to:

Work exclusively on the most interesting strategic problems your clients face. Your projects will be of strategic importance to your client, and your advice and solutions can shape the future of their organisation and often make headlines

Be exposed to a broad range of industries, functions, organisations and client challenges from day one. For example, our client focuses on the challenges facing financial services clients in this current climate. An investment manager wishing to utilise artificial intelligence or invest more sustainably, requiring the leadership expertise to implement this. A retail bank wishing to identify strong leaders with a flair for product development and customer understanding. A nonprofit looking to partner with a pioneering fintech solution to address financial inclusion and world poverty.

Take on significant responsibility and exposure to senior leaders; CEOs, Chairs, from the outset. You will be tasked with tackling client human capital challenges from day one, giving you the opportunity to have a measurable impact within your team and to present your findings at the highest level of the client’s organisation.

The Firm

Executive Search: An elite executive search boutique, our client has served the financial services sector with senior level appointments for over 25 years, executing search mandates for some of the largest FS firms in London

Expertise: The firm boasts deep expertise in all the various sectors of the financial services; including asset management , Fixed Income, FX, Investment Banking, Private Equity and Wealth Management

Culture: Associates will work in a collegiate and creative environment as part of a well-integrated team. The firm is profoundly meritocratic, with generous bonuses based on the quality of research.

Desired Skills and experience:

You will possess strong A levels, and a 1st or 2.1 from a leading, redbrick (or thereabouts) university. You will have demonstrated the below skills through interesting internships, voluntary work, or a stint in a commercial, corporate or business environment.

Research Skills – An executive search associate must be able to rapidly apprehend, retain and synthesise large amounts of information from different sources, and understand how the information collected affects the operations of the firm

Company/business analysis – Mapping the universe of a particular market through assiduous research; this includes using internal and external resources to research the firms that constitute a specific industry and the significant individuals at the executive level who are responsible for directing those firms

Executive Search – The research conducted by an associate will be directed toward the end of identifying target candidates for a client firm. The associate will use his or her acquired expertise to support the consultant and devise a creative strategy to establish the criteria of selection and to execute the search for the perfect candidate

Entrepreneurial Spirit – The ideal research associate will also have a developed commercial sense; he or she will be able to recognise an opportunity as it present itself, be well attuned to the way industries work and change, and suggest creative ideas that contribute to profitability and effectiveness

Sense of Excellence – An executive search Associate will pursue excellence in all that he or she does, seeking to continually improve personal performance and contribute to the efficient functioning of the research team

Communicating with Clients – Apart from market research and analysis an associate will be expected to attend meetings with clients alongside the consultant, using the information derived from the meeting to help guide the search and ensure the client and candidate are appropriately matched

Expertise – An associate is expected to become an expert in a particular field or practice, acquiring a deep understanding of the dynamics of the market and a comprehensive knowledge of the key executives that populate the boards of the most important firms

Team work – As an associate one will be expected to keep appropriate team members fully informed about key issues in the course of a search and to pro-actively assist all colleagues